


Don't Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater

by Anonymous



Series: It takes a village to raise a child [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Awkward Conversations, Coming of Age, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Kid Fic, Momtara, Motherhood, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parenthood, Platonic Relationships, Pregnancy, Pregnant Katara (Avatar), Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Team as Family, Teen Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21803305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A baby was the last thing Katara needed. Especially not Jet's baby, and certainly not in the middle of a war... But here she was. (AU where Katara gets pregnant in season one.)
Relationships: Aang & Katara (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Katara & The Gaang (Avatar), Past Katara/Jet, Toph Beifong & Katara
Series: It takes a village to raise a child [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1583641
Comments: 30
Kudos: 126
Collections: Anonymous





	1. prologue: notch on his belt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains non-explicit dubcon. This chapter is as graphic as this fic will be in regards to explicit content, but it is pretty tame, mostly just clinical descriptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I aged everyone up a year to make it less weird. There is no explicit sex in this story but I still felt like it lol. 
> 
> 2) I’ve changed the timeline a bit to suit the story. In canon, each season is about 3 months. I’m going to say that in book one, episodes 1-10 (10 is the Jet episode) are one month, and then episodes 11-18 are another. There is a time jump after episode 18 because i assume Katara’s training took a while, so I will count that as another month. After that is when I’m going to stretch out the timeline to suit the plot. Instead of 9/10 months, it's probably going to be about 12.
> 
> 3) This isn't a jetara story--there are no romantic interactions between them after this

Katara laid her naked back against the wooden floor. She expected the bark to protrude into her flesh and leave splinters, but found that it was smooth and polished instead. Jet followed suit, placing his hands landing on either side of her hips. She vaguely registered the contrast of the cold surface on her back with the hot skin hovering above her, and for a fleeting moment wondered what the hell she was doing. Then, their eyes met. His gaze was powerful and temperate; communicating arousal, but also restraint. Katara’s elbows, supporting her weight, shook lightly with anticipation. 

He was gentle, almost uncharacteristically so. Normally Jet had a fire to him, but he held back for Katara’s sake. She took notice of it, grateful for his mindfulness, and took a deep breath to calm her thumping heart.

“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt that much. You’ll like it.” He reassured her, bringing his lips to her neck. The sensation caused her breathing to hitch--not because it felt particularly good, but because it was intense and strange. No one had ever touched her like this before. 

Katara knew sex was a give-and-take, so she tried to reciprocate by reflecting the action back on him. Jet seemed to like it much more than she did. Briefly, she wondered if he was playing up his enjoyment to ease her nervousness and doubt. 

_How considerate of him_ , she reflected bitterly, only a few days later. The memories of this night would mock Katara for years to come. The kindness he showed her (and Aang, and Sokka, and even his teammates) was almost ridiculous when compared to how he treated the rest of the world. Though, she supposed, that kindness was just a show. It was a mask he wore to deceive people--a lie to influence them in his favor. And she had fallen for it. She felt stupid, among many other things. 

At that moment, though, Katara did not feel stupid; she felt wanted. He gave her a momentary, shallow love, but it was a love nonetheless, so she accepted it. She did what he wanted her to do, despite not being ready to perform such an act yet. Katara had convinced herself to follow through with it in hopes of being granted maturity and satisfaction. She was living in the midst of a war; how much innocence did she have left? Sex seemed like the logical next step, the final frontier. But in practice, it was terrifyingly intimate. A type of intimacy she was not prepared for.

Katara knew it wasn’t really Jet’s fault--no more than it was hers. He hadn’t intentionally manipulated her into having sex with him (at least not that she was aware), he was just oblivious to her internal conflict. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried to seduce her--Jet knew he was charming and used it to his advantage--just that he hadn’t intended to emotionally coerce Katara into his bed (or, more accurately, treehouse.) She hadn’t shown any outward signs of being apprehensive, other than virgin fear, and apparently Jet had seen a lot of that. 

He was much more experienced. She had not asked how many girls he had been with before, but she assumed it was quite a large number for his age. That knowledge had not deterred Katara, however. It made her feel even more special that he was the one giving her attention, considering that he could apparently have any girl he desired. Though she was originally nervous about the disparity in skill, her insecurities vanished under Jet’s nonjudgmental gaze. 

On top of Jet’s charm and tenderness, their shared trauma had also attracted Katara. It made her feel like he understood her on an intrinsic level, though in reality the only thing he knew about her were the details of her body, and even _that_ he didn’t know well. 

So, in a cultivation of all these feelings, Katara gave into his touch. She let his hands wander her body like it was a map--like his fingers were carefully grazing over parchment, attentively searching for their destination. Katara hyper focused on the feeling of his calloused hands when they gripped her thighs in an attempt to anchor her to the moment. It was hard to concentrate on all of the sensations, because they arrived in a vicious flood, and if she processed them all at once she would drown.

Admittedly, it felt rather good. Once Jet had discovered the southern half of her body, she was engulfed by a warm and electrifying feeling. Unfortunately for her, he was impatient, and moved onto the next step quickly. Katara inhaled deeply through her nose as he shifted his torso. 

Jet gave her a warning before entering her: “I’m starting now. Tell me if you want to stop.”

Katara nodded, and closed her eyes in suspense. Her body froze up in response to him, and at first Jet couldn’t get inside. He alleviate her nerves by working her with his fingers.

Katara gasped. That was a much more pleasant feeling. Her responses went straight to his head, even though they were few and far between, and a permanent smirk was stuck on his mouth.

Jet reattempted entering her, and this time it worked. There was a bit of pain at the beginning, but then just stretching. Katara was disappointed when she realized It didn’t feel as good as his previous actions. She had always assumed that this part of sex would the most enjoyable, but now she was wishing he would retrace his steps. Every once in a while, though, he would hit something inside her that made her toes curl. Too bad she could count the number of times that happened on one hand. 

She had also assumed sex would be much more emotional, that she would feel a swell of affection. Katara was surprised to find that component absent. Her feelings for him didn’t change when he was inside her.

Katara tried her best to please him during their encounter. Jet had praised her when she groped him. Even more so when she rolled her hips in time with his own. Despite her cluelessness, she thought she did fairly well for her first time, though that original feeling of triumph later morphed into shame and regret. 

After about 6 minutes, Jet finished, and in an attempt to stroke his ego Katara pretended to do the same. Based on what Katara had heard from the women at home, Jet apparently lasted longer than most teenage boys. That didn’t really matter much to her, though, because she wouldn’t have finished if he had been at it for an hour. In fact, the thought of having to have sex for that long made her legs cramp in pain.

After he was done, he laid next to her with a smug look on his face. This was one of many moments that--when Katara looked back on them--were not as endearing as they had once seemed. 

“How was that for your first time?” he asked her, his breathing still heavy. 

“Great,” she lied, a fake smile on her face. The sex wasn’t horrible; just empty and unsatisfactory. Ok, well, now that she put it that way… It was kinda bad. Maybe just disappointing. Katara wasn’t really sure; she didn’t exactly have a wide variety of data for this sort of thing. 

She used her bending to dispose of the… evidence, and Jet laughed, making a comment about how handy it must be for waterbenders. Katara had never thought to use bending in that way before, but after doing so, realized how lucky she was. She figured this would act as a contraceptive, and that she wouldn’t need to search for an emergency one. 

Katara wiped the sweat off of her forehead and waited for him to get dressed before doing the same. 

* * *

The next day, Jet tried to flood a village. Katara froze him to a tree. She thought that would be the end of her connection to him.

It wasn’t.


	2. waiting for the other shoe to drop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara's not feeling so well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skip. This happens at the North Pole, ~2 months after the last chapter.

“What? But you love sea prunes!” 

“I’m just not feeling it right now!” Katara snapped back. “Shut up about it!” 

“Geez, okay!” Sokka surrendered, raising his palms in defeat. Katara narrowed her eyes at him, anticipating a retort. 

“You’ve been so moody lately… Even more so than usual.” He muttered. Despite knowing the consequences, Sokka just couldn’t stop himself. He winced, prematurely readying himself for the backlash.

“What was that?” Katara challenged. Her fists balled up at her sides. 

“Nothing…!” He brought his attention back to his plate full of food and began to stuff his face, half-chewed noodles falling out of his mouth. Katara barely stopped herself from criticizing his manners. She tried her best to teach Sokka etiquette, but he had either never learned, or chose to ignore her. She wasn’t sure which was worse.

“Are you sure you feel alright, Katara?” Aang asked, concern in his voice. His plate was currently full of nothing but berries, since it was one of the only vegetarian food items in the North Pole. It had become his main source of nutrition during the past few weeks. 

While Katara could yell at her brother, she couldn’t bring herself to do the same to Aang. She sighed instead. 

“I’m feeling fine.” 

Aang’s skeptical look didn’t fade, so she continued, “ _Really_. I’m fine. It’s just a little different here compared to home, is all.” 

That wasn’t necessarily a lie, but it was definitely an excuse. 

“If you say so... But go see Yugoda, okay? Just in case you’re sick. I mean, you were throwing up yesterday!” Aang pressed her, picking up a berry. Sokka nodded silently in agreement, savoring the pig-salmon he was eating. 

“Fine.” Katara reluctantly agreed. Her teeth felt like they might break from how hard she was clenching them; Aang and her brother were really getting on her nerves about this. Why couldn’t they just shut up? They were treating her like Pakku initially had. She wasn’t a helpless little girl like everyone assumed she was; she could handle herself.

It had been a few weeks since they’d arrived at the North Pole, and her training with the aforementioned master was going insanely well. Katara was progressing really fast; even Pakku was impressed. She was really excited to become a waterbending master, as it had been her aspiration for a long time.

When Katara first discovered she was a waterbender, she remembered being in complete awe of her own abilities. Being the last waterbender in the south, it made her special—no one had ever expected her to possess those powers. Her parents were both thrilled and scared when they found out. The original novelty wore off after she realized _why_ she had to hide her talent, but whenever she waterbended, Katara could still feel a remnant of those emotions. Being trained by Pakku was an incredible gift, and she wasn’t going to waste it. 

After dinner, Katara excused herself and headed towards Yugoda’s healing center. Her annoyance gradually wore off as the cold air calmed her skin, and she reveled in the crunch of the snow below her feet. It almost felt like home…

Almost. 

She entered the building and—as expected—saw that Yugoda was currently healing someone. Yugoda glanced over to Katara and smiled to let her know she acknowledged her presence, and that after she finished she would speak to her. Katara smiled back, and waited patiently by the entrance. The session was finished quite quickly, and was only extended because Yugoda spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries with her patient. 

After the man left, Yugoda gestured for Katara to come sit by her.

“What’s the matter, Katara?” 

“It’s nothing, really. Sokka and Aang were just bothering me to come see you because they think I’m sick.” Katara responded, sitting down across from the older woman. 

“Why do they think that?” Yugoda asked, opening her hands to signal that she was starting the examination. Katara nodded her consent, and Yugoda’s hands came up to her face.

“Well, I threw up yesterday, and a few days before that... And I’ve lost my appetite. Well, not for everything—just sea prunes. It’s not so much that I’m not hungry, but that sea prunes just seem really gross, which sucks because I used to like them. I think they’re just different here.” Katara paused to let Yugoda process the information, and then continued. 

“I’ve also been somewhat tired, but that’s just because of my training.” She explained, staying truthful but also mitigating her symptoms. This could be done with soon, and then she’d go back to work with Master Pakku.

Yugoda hummed in thought, and placed her index and middle fingers on Katara’s throat to inspect her thyroid. 

“Any headaches? Fever? Pain? Diarrhea?” Yugoda questioned, moving onto a new symptom each time Katara shook her head. Her hands moved to check her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. 

“What did you have to eat the first day you threw up? What’s your diet been like?” Her investigation continued. Katara took off her parka and tunic at Yugoda’s request, so she could study her abdomen. 

She thought for a moment before responding, “I had seaweed noodles, bannock, and suaasat. My diet’s been pretty consistent and balanced… At least I think.”

“Did anyone else have your food?” Yugoda’s hands were now clinically prodding at her stomach.

“Yes, all of my food was from a communal dish. Do you think it’s food poisoning? Food poisoning doesn’t last long, right? ” Katara asked, hoping that whatever condition she was in would be cured soon, if she even had a condition. 

“Well, if it was food poisoning, other people would be sick, considering you shared the food.” 

“Oh... Right. Well, do you have any idea as to what it might be?” Katara kept calm on the outside, but inside she was becoming more impatient. _Can we just get this over with?_

“Don’t rush this, dear.” Yugoda reminded her gently. “Now, what time did you throw up?”

“Hmm, It was in the morning. Both times.” 

Yugoda’s eyebrows creased in thought a moment later, indicating she found something on Katara’s belly.

“What is it?” Katara asked, inspecting Yugoda’s expression. Her hands were gently pressing against her stomach.

“You seem a bit bloated, is all.” Yugoda informed her, gently. She was unsure if Katara would react badly—given that many women would to that statement—but Katara took no offense. 

“Oh. Yeah, a bit. I just thought I was putting on weight.”

“Do you normally get bloated?” Yugoda questioned.

“No, that’s never happened to me before…” Katara was now a bit more concerned, though realistically she had no reason to be. Her symptoms were all rather mild, but Yugoda’s demeanor was suddenly off-putting. 

Yugoda stared at the wall in thought for a few moments. Something flickered in her eyes, like she was pondering her next action. Without turning back to face her, she asked gently: 

“When did you last menstruate?”

The question threw Katara off guard. Her initial thought was confusion, as to why that would matter. Then realization, finally understanding the implication behind it. She hadn’t even thought to keep track of her menstrual cycle, because she assumed she wouldn’t have to. Katara traced through her memories, back to her last period and—

Fuck. 

She inhaled sharply, her throat restricting. Despite the cold atmosphere of the igloo, her hands began to feel clammy, and she involuntarily tightened her fists. No. _No way_.

The look on her face said it all. Yugoda’s expression turned sympathetic, and she didn’t wait for a response, instead moving onto her next inquiry. Katara predicted what it would be.

“Have you ever had—” _Sex_ , is what she was going to ask.

“Yes.” Katara interrupted, her exhale full and heavy. “I haven’t… I haven’t bled since.”

Katara looked away in shame, not daring to meet the older woman’s eyes. Her cheeks blared red, and she could feel tears prickling at the corner of her eyes, so she shut them in an attempt to stop the waterworks. She expected Yugoda to shame her, yell at her, call her a disgrace or a slut or an idiot.

Instead, Yugoda placed her hand on Katara’s cheek. It didn’t register as a physician’s touch, like it had earlier. Now, it resembled how her Grandmother’s touch felt; soothing, gentle, warm. The sensation encouraged tears to stream down her face.

“I…” Katara tried to find something to say, but nothing came out. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to ask for help, or offer an excuse, or beg for forgiveness that Yugoda was not qualified to give. Could she actually be pregnant? Maybe it was all a coincidence, a giant joke the universe was playing on her.

“You need to take a test to be sure, but… It seems likely.” Yugoda whispered to her. Katara’s body was shaking. 

“How… D-does the test work?” Katara hiccupped, wiping her sleeve across one of her cheeks. 

“There’s a mixture I can make that reacts to the urine of pregnant women.” Yugoda explained, her voice even and slow. She removed her hand and stood to her feet. “I’ll go get it.” 

“O-Okay…” Katara sniffled, missing the tenderness of the contact. She curled her knees into her chest and cradled her sides. A memory of her mother embracing her infiltrated her mind, causing her to instinctively fiddle with her necklace. 

If her mother was here right now, she would hug her and tell her it would be alright. Or—a self-loathing part of Katara suggested—she would disown her. Katara shook her head. She knew her mother would never do that… If she was still alive. But she wasn’t, so she wouldn’t be hugging her _or_ disowning her—she’d be doing nothing. She _was_ doing nothing, because she was dead. 

Yugoda arrived back a few minutes later, and wordlessly handed Katara a bowl full of crushed leaves and berries. She turned around to give Katara her privacy, trying to ease her embarrassment as much as possible, but it wasn’t really helping. Katara pulled down her pants and crouched over the bowl, blood still rushing to her face. The sound of her peeing filled the uncomfortable silence. 

What the hell was she going to do if she was pregnant? That would mess up everything. Not just her own life, but her family’s as well. Having a baby out of wedlock would dishonor any family, but even more so the Chief’s. Hakoda was supposed to be a role model for his people; if Katara got pregnant, he’d lose his respect. 

Not to mention Aang—she needed to help him save the world, for Spirit’s sake! Then again, maybe she was overestimating her importance… She wasn’t exactly integral to the plan, right? Pakku was teaching Aang waterbending, and even though Aang wasn’t making as much progress as Katara was, he still had time to keep training. 

She finished peeing and pulled up her pants. 

“If you’re pregnant, the mixture should change color in a few minutes.” Yugoda informed her. Katara nodded, taking in a deep breath. She slumped her back against the wall and tried to steady her breathing. 

Yugoda offered her hand, and Katara gripped onto it like she was dangling from a cliff. 

“Thank you.” She whispered, closing her eyes. Yugoda nodded and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Katara was grateful for Yugoda’s confidentiality and assistance; she didn’t ask any questions or pass any judgments. At least not verbally. 

The few minutes that passed felt like torture. An onslaught of doubts and fears overwhelmed Katara’s mind to the point where she couldn’t process any of them; it was just one after another, an endless stream of anxiety.

Katara heard Yugoda shuffle and reach for the bowl. Her body stilled. This was it. The moment of truth. There was nothing more she could do to prepare herself for the answer.

“J-Just tell me.” Katara stuttered, forcing the words out. 

“...You’re pregnant, Katara.” Yugoda announced. There was a mixture of pity and sorrow in her tone. Katara wondered if that was the same tone she would hear from Sokka and Aang. Her father. Strangers she passed on the street. Or, would they be angry? Perhaps pity was worse. Pity meant she was weak. Considering the condition she found herself in now, maybe she was.

A sob ripped from Katara’s throat. She thought it sounded eerily similar to the cries of an owl-deer with one foot stuck in a bear trap, or maybe like the wails of a child. Though she didn’t recognize it, she _was_ a child—a child having a child. 

“There… are options, Katara.” Yugoda said, lightly caressing Katara’s hand with her own, trying to comfort her. Katara only shook her head in response—she knew she wasn’t going to get rid of the fetus. She would never judge another woman for it, but couldn’t say the same for herself. 

“I understand.” Yugoda let out a dejected sigh. 

She was so fucked. So, so fucked. 

“C-Can you tell Master Pakku that I’m not feeling well today?” Katara asked after a moment.

“Of course, dear. Of course.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos & comment! Tell me what u think :)
> 
> I know the pregnancy test isn't very realistic but I wanted a way for katara to be sure she was pregnant. plus its ATLA man and its a fanfic. i do what i want


	3. beggars can't be choosers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter: Toph. ("The Blind Bandit")

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this, I wasn’t quite sure of the format I was going for, so the first few chapters are a little rocky, but i think I’ve settled on how want to do it from here on out. So bear with me if it seems a little jumbled right now; the current chapter is more like snippets rather than one cohesive event.

Four weeks had passed since Katara found out she was pregnant.

She was still throwing up from morning sickness, but had convinced Sokka and Aang that she just had a rather stubborn stomach bug, and that Yugoda had cleared her. Which, to be fair she had—in regards to being _sick_ at least. Her two companions had accepted it at first, but were once again beginning to worry for her because of how long she had been ill, and how consistent her vomiting was, given that she threw up nearly every morning. Katara tried to deal with her symptoms discreetly, but it was hard with their close-quarters travelling and Aang’s seemingly omniscient presence. She was flattered that he cared so much about her, but Aang was inadvertently creating the opposite effect when he tried to comfort Katara. 

When the two of them had traveled through the Cave of Two Lovers, Katara had begun to suspect that he not only cared for her as a friend, but was _in love_ with her. The only thing in store for Aang was heartbreak if her suspicions were correct. Both because she didn’t feel the same way, and because she was pregnant with another man’s child. She pitied him, and this knowledge made her even more reluctant to share her condition with Sokka and Aang. 

Dismissing their anxieties was much more difficult with the particular secret she was hiding. Covering up tiny disturbances was one thing, but this was a whole new level. Katara was _pregnant_ for La’s sake. It was nerve-wracking to keep coming up with excuses whenever they asked her what was wrong. She already felt culpable for making them fret, and even more so for lying to them; Of course she didn’t want to be deceitful, but she also wasn’t ready to tell them. Everyday when she awoke, Katara would gather the courage to tell them, and then throw it up with her breakfast. The cycle felt like it wouldn’t end. 

This situation was just another drop in Katara’s bucket of problems. In the grand scheme of things, her pregnancy seemed inconsequential—she still had to train Aang in time for him to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer. And, at the current moment, find him a decent earthbending teacher. But, in a personal sense, it was worse for her. She was around 3 months along now, and Yugoda said most women start showing at 4 months, which was bad news for Katara. She couldn’t hide her secret forever, but for now she was living in a limbo where her only conflicts were internal, and that seemed better than the alternative. 

When she laid awake at night, Katara imagined the disappointment and disgust on Sokka and Aang’s faces once they figured out she was pregnant. She predicted the questions they would ask… Would they think of her as reckless? Immature? Stupid? Maybe she was those things; after all, she’d had sex with a boy she barely knew and got knocked up on the first try. How would that conflict with their opinion of her? She was certain she’d lose their trust and respect.

Yugoda had given Katara some advice before she departed from the North Pole. Most of the advice was about how to stay healthy during her pregnancy and properly nourish the fetus, but a few tidbits were social. She said to remember that, even if Sokka and Aang reacted badly at first, they loved her and would come around. Katara hoped that was true—and most of her _knew_ it was—but she still prepared for the worst possible outcome. Just in case.

Katara was currently standing by a riverbank, staring at her reflection. She’d raked up her tunic to poke her stomach, imagining what it would look like in a few months. Her train of thought then wandered to what the baby would look like once she’d given birth to it. Until that point, Katara hadn’t really thought that far ahead—just her current predicament of when to tell Sokka and Aang.

In fact, one of the pleasant side effects of keeping her pregnancy to herself was that she could pretend it wasn’t real. Logically, she still knew the baby was there, but emotionally it still felt absent. It was like a card in her deck she had no intention of playing. 

But now, she was thinking about it, instead of putting it off. She was going to be a mother. Sometimes it felt like she already was, dealing with her own brother and with Aang, who felt a lot like a younger version of Sokka. But mothering _them_ was not quite the same as _this_. Katara let out a long sigh; she wasn’t opposed to the idea of motherhood itself, but hadn’t expected to experience it so soon.

“Katara? Ready to head into town?” Sokka called over to her. She hurriedly let go of her tunic at the sound of his voice, and let the ends of the fabric return to their natural state around her knees. 

“Yep!” She answered, her inflection a little strained. She hoped he wouldn’t notice. 

* * *

An earthbender who could sense the vibrations in the ground, and also happened to have the maturity and tact of a 5 year old. 

Great. Just what Katara needed.

Katara wasn’t even sure if Toph _could_ sense the baby, but it seemed likely if she could tell the exact placement of the anthill a few yards away. The realization made her heart speed up, and she saw Toph throw a quick speculatory glance in her direction, before continuing her conversation with Aang.

 _Please don’t mention the baby_ , _please don’t mention the baby, please don’t mention the baby._

Lucky for Katara, she didn’t mention it. At least not at that moment. 

The relief that flooded Katara was only momentary however, and soon overcome by fear, as metal cages encased Aang and Toph. 

* * *

Seeing Toph reunited with her parents gave Katara a warm feeling in her chest. Firstly, because it was sweet to see no matter what, and secondly because it reminded her of her own father. The latter thought was bittersweet, as she had not seen Hakoda in years and wasn’t even sure if he was alive.

She also found herself subconsciously bringing her hand to rest on her stomach. Katara wondered how she’d feel if Toph was her child, and she replaced Toph’s parents. What was it like to have a child, and love them with all your heart? She had always been on the receiving end—what was it like to be the giver? Sure, she took care of Sokka, and Aang, and used to take care of many of the village children. But that was always work to her, to give them attention. If it was her own child, would it still be taxing? Or would it be rejuvenating? 

Her thoughts were intercepted by the disappointing reality of Toph’s father.

“Yes, I've let you had far too much freedom! From now on you'll be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day!”

Toph tried to argue, but her protests fell on deaf ears. 

Katara found herself thinking about the other side of the coin now. Would she’d screw up her child for life, even if she didn’t mean to? How hard would it be to maintain a balance between her child’s protection and independence? To an extent, she sympathized with Toph’s parents, but they took it to a whole new extreme. 

She looked at the crestfallen expression on Toph’s face, and made a promise to never be like the Beifongs.

* * *

Toph had joined their group. She claimed her parents let her go, though Katara had her suspicions. She decided she didn’t care either way, because she was glad Toph was with them. She was an amazing Earthbender, yes, but she was also a kind girl deserving of freedom.

The first night they made camp, Katara approached her. She made sure they were out of earshot of Sokka and Aang, and that the two boys were too distracted by a weird bug to interrupt them.

“Can you tell?” Katara whispered to her. It was vague, but if Toph knew what she was talking about, the point would get across.

Toph didn't say anything for a few moments. She opened her mouth, as if she had a question to ask, but sighed sadly instead. 

“Yeah. I can tell.” 

Katara nodded in response, hugging her arms around her body. 

“Don’t tell them…” Katara croaked out, her voice a bit shaky. “I… I’m going to tell them soon. I just want it to come from me.”

“Um. That’s... good.” The younger girl replied awkwardly. Toph, being 13 years old, wasn’t quite sure how to comfort her. Katara felt a twinge of guilt upon realizing she was forcing Toph to be her unwilling accomplice. 

“I mean, once you start looking like a whale, it’d be a bit difficult for them not to notice, huh?” Toph tried to be humorous, giving up on being serious because it wasn’t helping the tension. Plus, being so stoic just wasn’t in her nature. 

Katara wanted to laugh, but couldn’t; she was too stressed. She knew the joke was Toph’s way of showing she cared, despite not knowing anything. But there was a stark truth to her words; Katara was going to have to tell Sokka and Aang soon, whether she wanted to or not. So, she settled on a dejected sigh.

“How far along are you?” Toph suddenly asked. She didn’t seem concerned about invasiveness; Katara admired that.

“Almost 4 months.” Katara responded. After a few seconds, she added: “I’ve known for about 1 or 2.” 

“Oh…” Toph said quietly, not exactly sure what to do with the information. “Well, if you haven’t told them by now, how’re you gonna get around to telling them _at all_?”

Katara turned around and stared at Sokka and Aang as they played in blissful ignorance. Toph didn’t bother to follow her line of sight, for obvious reasons.

“I don’t know.” Katara said honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pls kudos + comment 😩😩


	4. biting the bullet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara has some decisions to make. ("The Chase")

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm still jumping around a lot with a lot of paragraph breaks, and it'll probably be that way for a while because i don't want to have to rewrite a scenes that aren't related to the AU, so sorry if that turns you off at all... once the au becomes more canon-divergent there will likely be less!
> 
> (also not sure how long the chapters will be—i'm gonna try to get them around at least 2,000 words, this one's only around 1,500 tho)

She figured Toph would cut her a bit of slack, in light of the pregnancy and all, but apparently Katara couldn’t even have that commodity. Instead, Toph was acting like a spoiled brat—which, to be fair she was, considering her upbringing—and refusing to help unpack camp. 

They didn’t have time for this, and that seemed to be the one thing Katara and Toph could agree on. A tank had been following them for hours and they desperately needed some shut eye, but the two girls had different expectations for how to deal with that. Toph believed that she was only responsible for herself, and Katara argued that, in Layman’s terms, “there was no ‘I’ in ‘Team.’” 

Katara contributed this disparity in behavior to how they were raised. Toph was Earth Kingdom nobility and Katara was Southern Water tribe. Community was an integral value in the latter, and Katara could only guess how that ideology was regarded in the former. Even so, Katara wasn’t going to allow her to act so selfishly. Toph was part of their group now, which meant she would act like it. 

Granted, her way of trying to convince Toph was unsavory and rather petty.

“Forget about setting up camp,” Sokka grumbled, just as lethargic as the rest of them. “I'm finding the softest pile of dirt and going to sleep.”

Katara took the opportunity to take a dig at Toph.

“That's good, because Toph wasn't going to help anyway!” 

Toph retorted instantaneously. “Oh, I didn't realize the baby still needed someone to tuck her in bed.”

That was a low blow. Katara didn’t know if Toph had consciously used such an analogy to vex Katara, or if it was just a coincidence, but either way it stung. Luckily, before anymore insults could be exchanged, Aang butted in to terminate the conversation.

“Come on guys. There's something after us and we don't even know what or who it is.”

Aang was right. Bickering with Toph wasn’t helping—they had bigger problems to worry about.

* * *

“We can take them. Three on three.”

 _What?_ Had Toph completely forgotten about Katara’s pregnancy or did she just not care? Those 3 girls were on lizards and had been chasing them for miles in a _tank_. Katara had no intention of facing off with them. She would fight when provoked, but wanted to avoid it if she could.

Sokka and Toph’s voices faded into the background, and her attention was stolen by the sinking feeling in her gut. When she fought Zuko in the North Pole, she hadn’t really considered the baby—it had been so new and surreal. Plus, at the time, a part of her hoped she might lose it, though she would never admit to that now. 

In more recent encounters she’d become increasingly nervous about engaging in physical activities, as she wasn’t sure what would hurt the baby. Katara had come to terms with it, and even felt a sense of affection for her unborn child, despite the circumstances. Briefly, she would imagine holding the child after giving birth to it, but she didn’t like to entertain those thoughts, because contemplating on the baby at all made her stomach twist anxiously. Visualizing a future was painful, because the looming dread of having to tell Sokka and Aang was always present.

Katara was torn from her internal monologue by the sound of rumbling earth. Toph formed three pillars to block the girls, but it proved to be futile, and the mongoose lizards simply jumped over them. Just as she was about to suggest they flee, Sokka spoke:

“We wanted to find out who they were and we found out. Let’s get out of here.” 

That was music to Katara’s ears, and she didn’t hesitate in bolting towards Appa. She frantically climbed up the side of him, experiencing a newfound gratefulness for his smelly fur, and turned around to take a look a Toph. A stab of anxiety ran through her when saw that she was still attempting to block the attackers.

“Toph! Get on Appa, now!” Katara yelled, right as one of the girls threw a lightning bolt at the rock wall. Toph finally retreated and launched herself next to Sokka, signaling for Aang to get them the hell out of there. Appa took off, barely avoiding a blast of blue fire. 

Katara kept her eyes on the assailants until their forms disappeared and her adrenaline dissipated. 

“I can't believe those girls followed us all the way from Omashu…” She stated. They must be intent on capturing them, and by the looks of it they very well could—that lightning strike had been no joke.

“I still think we could have taken them.” Toph grumbled. Katara felt an anger flare up inside her chest.

“Are you _kidding me?_ ” Katara snapped at her. Did Katara have to remind her that she was pregnant _?_ Did Toph care at all? She searched Toph’s face for some sign of recognition or understanding, but she just looked mildly frustrated. 

* * *

It occurred to Katara, only after Toph quit, that she might be putting too much pressure on the younger girl. Not in regards to campsite maintenance—though she admitted she had been too rough on her—but the pregnancy. Toph was only 13, and she couldn’t possibly be expected to understand the intricacies of Katara’s condition. But, still, she resented her a bit for how she was acting about the situation. It wasn’t as if Katara wanted special treatment—she just wanted someone who knew, someone who would look out for her...

Someone who understood. 

Katara felt so alone; more alone than she had felt in a long time. (Which was ironic, really, because she had a lifeform growing in her womb.) She felt like she was trapped in a corner and had only one way of getting out. Unconsciously, she isolated herself from Sokka and Aang, preparing for their behavior once she revealed her secret. By trying to protect her feelings, she was also denying herself support. 

Realizing this, Katara decided she would finally tell Sokka and Aang. 

After they found Toph and stopped the murder trio, of course.

* * *

Besides the momentary fear she felt during the battle—that Knife Girl would impale her belly or that Zuko’s Sister would turn her uterus into a furnace—Katara would say their mission was a success. 

Now she had another mission, which in many ways, was even harder.

After a good night’s rest, of course. 

* * *

“Katara, what’s up with you right now? Your heart is thumping like a rabaroo.” Toph said. Her tone was innocent but also concerned. She seemed to understand that the answer would be confidential, because she waited until Aang and Sokka were gone to confront her.

“I’m going to tell them today.” Katara replied with a heavy sigh, and absent-mindedly let her hands cup her stomach. It had become slightly distended, but she doubted that Aang and Sokka had given it much thought. 

Toph nodded in understanding. “Do you want me to… do something?” 

“No, it’s fine. I have to do this myself. And besides, I’ve already involved you in this too much.” 

Toph raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Katara sighed, upset at herself, and tried to think of how to articulate her response. 

“I was making up these expectations for you in my head. Like, how I thought you should act because I’d told you, and you didn’t deserve that. You’re only 13. It was unfair of me, and I’m sorry.”

Toph shook her head with a smile. “I’m 13, but you’re a pregnant 15 year old... It’s okay for you to get upset sometimes, you know.”

Katara smiled weakly, agreeing with the statement, but still feeling a tad guilty.

“So, thanks for the apology, but you’re also right.” Toph continued, her expression turning serious again. “I should’ve, y’know, taken you into account.. And stuff.” 

Even though she had only known Toph for a few weeks, she already understood how hard it was for her to admit any wrongdoings, so it was significant to hear that.

“Thank you, Toph.” Katara squeezed her shoulder.

“No problem, Mama ‘Tara.”

Katara’s nose and eyebrows scrunched up. 

“Mama… Tara.” She slowly repeated, withdrawing her hand. 

Toph nodded, apparently proud of the nickname.

* * *

“So, what did you wanna talk about?” Sokka asked. It was unusual for Katara to call such a formal meeting like this, and judging by how she was clutching her tunic, she was nervous.

Aang didn’t seem to pick up on her demeanor as well as Sokka was; he seemed unphased by her odd behavior. Katara lowered her head, refusing to make eye contact. Her fingers started to twirl the fabric of her clothes, making soft ripples like a whirlpool. The monotony of the motion was comforting, but it was disrupted by how frequently her arms shook. 

“I’m just gonna say it, I guess.” She said, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to meet their gazes. “Please don’t yell, or anything. Don’t think of me any differently.”

Before the words left her mouth, Katara knew it was a pointless request, and any assurance they could give her would be an empty promise. There was no way they could look at her the same after this: this moment was the last taste of childhood she had left, yet she couldn't find a way to savor it.

Sokka was visibly worried, and even Aang looked off put. She hated the concern on their faces, how ignorant of the truth they were; the universe was mocking her, forcing her to push through this dramatic irony.

“Um, okay. What’s wrong? Are you sick—” 

“I’m pregnant.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next up: "the cat's out of the bag" = continuation of the current chapter >:)  
> comments fuel my life


	5. cat's out of the bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the last chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: there is a reference to a past rape (not involving any of the main characters) and hypothetical rape

A few seconds passed. Nothing changed. 

The duo stared blankly at her; Aang seemed confused, but Sokka was stone faced as he digested her words. Katara shifted her weight, and dragged her right hand to rest on her stomach. Sokka’s gaze darted to her belly, recognition flashing across his face as she did so, and then back to her eyes. She felt naked under his stare, like she had with Jet, sans the sexual aspect. Only the scrutiny remained.

“You’re joking, right.” It wasn’t posed as a question. Sokka knew she was serious, but the words fell from his mouth on instinct; a plea masked as a demand. 

Normally, his tone would rile her up, but instead it made her stomach flip. Katara couldn’t bring herself to respond with words, so she just shook her head, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. Crying was a natural response, she knew, but for some reason it only made her feel more guilty and embarrassed. Katara clutched her belly tighter, like her baby was a buoy and she was surrounded by hungry sharks. 

Once she started crying, Sokka’s eyes softened up and he looked fearful. 

“Hey. Hey.” He leaned forward and held her left hand. The action transformed her whines into obnoxious sobs, loud and unrestrained. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have… done something. I could’ve...” He trailed off, sounding sad for her and angry at himself. “Who did this to you?” 

It dawned on Katara what he was implying. Sokka thought she had been  _ raped _ . She wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than the truth. For a moment, she considered going with the lie, but then two distinct pictures ran through her mind. 

One was a memory. An image of Sika, a young woman from her village, who was assaulted by a fire nation soldier during a raid. The monster had infected her with a disease: both in body and mind. Sika, who used to sing Katara to sleep, was waking herself up every night by the sound of her own screaming, reliving the event in her nightmares. Sika, who used to enable Katara’s childish desires, who played hide and seek with her, was now pale and sweaty and bedridden. Some villagers woul comment about how Sika was lucky to be in the South Pole; had she been in the North Pole, she would’ve been a complete social outcast. At least she was being taken care of here, right? 

That sentiment didn’t stop Sika from killing herself, though. 

The other picture was a premonition of the worst outcome. A flipbook of scenes: Katara staring at her reflection in the mirror every morning, preparing to deceive all of her loved ones for a senseless cause. The looks people would give her, full of pity. The looks they would give her child, full of resentment. The guilt that would eat away at her until she followed in Sika’s footsteps.

“S-Sokka,” she managed to strangle out amidst her gross crying, “I wasn’t—I wasn’t raped.” 

The rage and melancholy that occupied Sokka’s features were replaced by the emptiness and disbelief he displayed earlier. He retracted his body from hers, and covered his face with his hands. His posture was low, like he had been defeated in battle. Katara doubted he was trying to make her feel bad on purpose, but she still felt hot blasts of shame burn her cheeks.

Katara stayed silent, except for the occasional wail she couldn’t suppress. Her tears were trying to extinguish the wildfire under her skin, it seemed. 

Aang, who she had forgotten was there, looked bewildered and petrified. He glanced between them with wide eyes and tight eyebrows. Katara couldn’t blame him: he was in the dark about the implications behind their words, behind the whole scenario, and what to do about it. He was a 12 year old monk. Perhaps he was experiencing the fear a child feels when their parents are fighting about a topic too mature for them to comprehend. 

“How. How could you let this…” Sokka started, his voice filled with desperation. He rubbed at his eyelids furiously with his index fingers and sighed deeply. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I...”

“I n-” 

“Don’t. Please, don’t, just… Give me a minute. Please.” 

So she did. Katara bit down on her lip in anticipation for his next remark. She always knew this conversation would be the most difficult one of her life thus far, but she hadn’t predicted how much it would affect Sokka and Aang. When she had previously imagined this discussion, their reactions were more like a physical representation of her own fears and regrets. In theory, she’d known it would affect them, but seeing the actual emotional fallout hurt a thousand times more than her imagination. 

Sokka let out a shaky exhale. “I’m going to… I’m still gathering my thoughts, but I need you to not say anything until I’m finished talking, okay?”

Katara nodded. 

“I… This is just— This is the worst possible time... But you already know that.”

She did.

“This jeopardizes the mission. You’re Aang’s waterbending teacher. And this jeopardizes  _ you _ . I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Katara... I know this is hard for you, harder than it is for me, but I can’t help but wonder what the  _ hell  _ you were thinking.” 

Katara flinched.

_ I wasn’t _ .

“Just…” He tried to compose himself again, inhaling sharply, and then he let out a bitter laugh. “What are we going to  _ do _ ? What have we gotten ourselves into?”

Sokka really meant ‘What have  _ YOU  _ gotten  _ US  _ into’, but was tactful enough to phrase it differently. Likely, he was also holding himself responsible for her pregnancy, feeling like he could have prevented it somehow. When it came to his sister, he subconsciously internalized her blame, and he never knew why. It was in his nature as her older brother.

He opened his mouth as if to resume his speech, but refrained from doing so after reassessing Katara’s appearance. She was curled in on herself, not crying so much anymore, but still sniffling. Her normally feisty self was anguished and lost, depending on him for support.

Sokka felt a twinge of guilt at seeing her like this, knowing he was accountable for a part of it—both for failing to protect her in the first place, and for being harsh. He wasn’t going to take back his words, because he thoroughly believed them, and was convinced she needed to hear them. But he also wasn’t heartless, and still felt like an asshole for speaking to her in that manner.

“Aang,” Sokka said, exhausted, “can you give us some privacy for a bit? Please?”

Aang was more than happy to oblige that request; this whole ordeal was overwhelming him. He slipped away back to the campsite and left the siblings alone.

* * *

Of course, Aang was disappointed from the information. He knew that people got pregnant from having sex, and though he wasn’t sure exactly what that was, he knew it came from something romantic and intimate. But more so than that, he was concerned for Katara. It was obvious from the thick tension in the air alone that her predicament was very serious, and possibly detrimental to their quest.

As he approached, he saw that Toph was waiting by the dwindling bonfire with a rice bowl. She did not look like her usual, entertained self, and Aang didn’t have to wonder why.

“Twinkletoes.” She said, announcing his return. Aang didn’t reply, and half-heartedly threw a stick into the fire, before slumping onto a log. The atmosphere here was somehow more depressing than the one a few minutes before.

Toph let out a long sigh. “Yeah. I feel you.” 

Momo flew over to Aang and perched on his arm. Aang let out a resigned noise, and ran his fingers through Momo’s fur, causing him to purr in delight. At least  _ someone  _ was having a good time.

“Want some rice?” Toph offered, even though she wasn’t inclined to physically serve him the dish. 

“I’m not hungry.” He said, utterly dejected. 

“Hmm…” 

“...”

“You should stop moping and get over her, so you can help her.” Toph told him, her voice nonchalant, despite the abruptness of her statement. 

“What!?” Aang sat up straight, his cheeks turning pink. 

“Katara’s gonna need us to be there for her even more now. We don’t have time for you to be all sad and heartsick and down on yourself, or whatever. She wasn’t in love with you anyways, so really you’re just getting a wake-up call sooner than you woulda. Spares you some pain, I think.” Though she wasn’t handing him the news delicately, Toph was showing she cared, in her own strange way.

“H-How’d you know I like her?” He squeaked. Toph rolled her eyes. Of course he was stuck on  _ that. _

“Anyone with eyes—or  _ really  _ perceptive feet—can tell you like her.” 

“Oh.”  _ It didn’t take eyes to know he was blushing, either,  _ Toph thought.

“Yeah. But that’s not the point, Twinkletoes,” She pointed her chopsticks in his general direction for emphasis. “We all need to step up. For Katara. But don’t tell her I said that.” 

Aang stared at the ground and blinked a few times. 

“You’re, right, Toph. This isn’t about me… It’s about Katara and, um… Katara... Junior.” A shocked look spread over his face; he was either having a delayed reaction to her confession, or hadn’t fully processed the fact that pregnancy would lead to a baby until now.

“Katara Junior?” Toph snorted, amused.

“You know what I mean!” 

* * *

“Katara. Look at me.” Sokka was squatting in front of her, his hands softly gripping her shoulders, coaxing her to follow through with his words. Her eyes were stinging and tired from how consistently she’d been crying. She wiped a glob of snot off her face with her sleeve, and focused on the calming blue of his irises. 

Ever since Katara was a born, Sokka had been her anchor. As annoying and self-involved and stubborn as he was, he stabilized her and loved her. He was there for her when their mother was dead and when their father was gone. She trusted him with her life, and she would always be eternally grateful for him, even if he was upset with her for the rest of time.

“How did this… happen?” He asked warily, not certain he wanted to hear the answer, but knowing he needed to.

Katara’s cheeks flared up again, and she closed her eyes, steadying her breathing. She had to tell him, no matter how mortifying it was. 

She  _ herself  _ wasn’t pleased with the answer, and doubted Sokka would be either. The father of her child was a mass murderer and halfway off his rocker—on top of all that, she’d only known him a few days before having sex with him. Admitting he was the father had a lot of unsavory connotations, but it was the truth, no matter how distressing it was.

“J-Jet.” She replied, tucking a defiant strand of hair behind her ear. All she heard was a deep whir of air leaving Sokka’s nose. Katara was mostly concentrating on her twiddling hands, but peeked at Sokka’s expression, though she didn’t need to; obviously, he was wrathful.

“That bastard.” Sokka gritted out from between his clenched teeth. A string of muttered curses and threats followed. 

“I-It’s my fault. You can’t blame it all on him. It’s my fault I’m in this mess… I’ve screwed everything up so badly…” Katara couldn’t stop herself from talking; it was as if she was a dam that had been punctured, and her internal monologue flowed freely. She wasn’t defending Jet because he deserved it, but because she was consumed by her own self-loathing.

“No, don’t say that.” Sokka’s attitude became sorrowful, and his voice morphed into a soothing inflection. He pulled her into a tight hug, his arms reaching all the way around her back, keeping her close to him. Katara reciprocated the action and clung onto him for dear life.

“I never meant to berate you or be cruel to you. It’s just a lot to take in, and it changes everything, y’know?” Sokka was acting quiet and sincere, in that vulnerable manner that reminded Katara of their shared childhood. He was also reminding her of their father, with his strength and unconditionality. Over the course of their journey so far, he had been slowly maturing; there was no doubt in her mind he would eventually become as courageous and honorable as Hakoda. 

“I don’t want you to hate me.” She whispered.

“I could never hate you, Katara. I didn’t mean to make you feel so crappy, I’m sorry. All I want is for you to be safe and happy... I want you to trust me... I promise, I’m going to take care of you.” 

Ideally, Katara would go back to the South Pole. But they were on a tight schedule, and there were no other waterbenders to teach Aang. Plus, Sokka couldn’t think of a single safe way for Katara to travel by herself besides Appa, and that wasn’t an option. He also knew that she wanted to stay with them, even though it was riskier. 

“You shouldn’t have to. This is all my fault—my responsibility,” She sputtered. “D-Don’t worry about me, I’ll do it, I’ll do it…” She repeated the words, trying to convince herself more so than him.

“You don’t really believe that, do you? You’re crazy if you think i’m gonna let you do this on your own. I’m not going to leave you, Katara, I’m going to protect you, and your…” He still had to adjust to the reality of the situation, and struggled to find the words. “...child. We’ll get through this together, alright?” 

Katara nodded into his neck. Warmth and relief consumed her body, calming her heart and placating her anguish. Being held by her brother made her feel at home and loved—like everything might turn out alright, afterall. 

“But in order to do that, you need to  _ let  _ me help you. Tell me when things are wrong, and how I can help, okay?” Sokka added, pulling back and giving her a small smile. She gave one back, a bit strained but still honest. 

She nodded again, feeling a surge of affection for her brother; she was lucky to have him. 

“Stop resisting my assisting.” He added, attempting to lighten the mood. Katara thought it was possibly the stupidest joke ever, but she appreciated that he was trying, so she gave him a forced laugh.

“I love you, Sokka.” 

“I love you too, Katara.”

Though Sokka was her anchor, she was used to being the one in the motherly role. Katara found it a little funny how she—4 months pregnant—was the one being consoled.

Sokka’s face turned apprehensive once more.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about this right now, but… What are you going to do once the baby’s born?” 

Oh, way to open  _ that  _ can of worms. Katara still wasn’t sure what her opinion was. She hadn’t even scratched the surface, in fact. A baby meant so many things. Very complicated, very messy things.

Beforehand, she hadn’t allowed herself to dwell on the baby for too long. Even the happy thoughts eventually turned sorrowful, because it would remind her it was a secret. All of the situations in her head seemed so hypothetical. She’d done it though, she’d finally told them: she had just experienced a catharsis, and now her mind felt clear. The lumps of indiscernible emotions were slowly shaping themselves into distinct forms. 

Unclouded by ignominy and fear, Katara felt a type of love she’d never felt before. She could only assume this was the type of love her own mother had encountered when pregnant. Her hand once more settled on her stomach, gaining Sokka’s attention.

“I think…” Katara smiled genuinely, “I’m going to keep it.”

Sokka seemed slightly surprised, but not against the idea. 

“Whatever you want, sis.”

Katara predicted that he’d soon come around to the idea of unclehood. 

Just give it time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all liked it! i'm p happy with how this chapter turned out, and its the longest one so far i believe, around 2,600 words.  
> ALSO i've planned for somewhere around 30 chapters   
> comments fuel my life 😎


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